Sweater weather alterations…

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With cooler weather finally arriving in Central Oregon, I was motivated to finish some sweater alterations. Both were originally large men’s wool sweaters from thrift that I felted by washing in hot water and drying at the highest temperature.

The gray sweater had a zipper and mock turtleneck collar that I simply trimmed off, leaving a scoop neck with a u-shaped cutout. The beauty of working with felted wool is that you can cut it without the edges fraying or unraveling. With my sewing machine, I narrowed the sleeves by a couple inches so they are fitted. Then I cut the bottom hem on an angle. Hi-low hems may be passé but I like the look of this sweater.

The mustard color sweater was first altered a few years ago; the modern flower pattern added by needle felting. But the original turtleneck collar and rolled sleeve hems never seemed quite right, so the sweater was forgotten in my closet I simply cut off the turtle neck and sleeve hems, and added a small notch to open the neckline. The end result is a simple sweater with three quarter length sleeves and a scoop neck collar.

Are there unworn wool sweaters in your wardrobe? Consider simple alterations by felting and cutting to create a new look!

Reversible felted necklaces…

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These modern felted necklaces are an experiment in simplicity and purity of shape. The circle is symbolic of renewal and regeneration and continuity. In my creative work, I am focused on trying to create closed loop products; locally sourced, renewable, recyclable, reusable. These necklaces use locally sourced alpaca wool roving, natural deerskin lacing, and recyclable steel washers.

Inspired by the DIY necklaces found in Urban Scandinavian Sewing by Kirstyn Cogan, these necklaces are relatively simple to make. Working with circles in various sizes, materials and colors creates a near infinite number of combinations. Using handmade wet felted sheets cut into circles of various sizes, I created layered combinations. using the opposite colors on either side. The edges are hand stitched with a blanket stitch, and a washer reinforces the hole for threading the deerskin lacing. I searched for used washers with a naturally aged patina but was unable to find any. I also think it would be interesting to use heavy jewelry wire hammered into a spiral as an alternative to the standard hardware store washer.

Why not make your own version of this necklace? A simpler alternative would be to use store-bought felt which comes in all sorts of colors. Since the typical polyester felt is quite thin, I suggest gluing two layers together so each circle is thick enough to hold its shape. It makes a perfect handmade gift.

Gather in and Celebrate Fall…

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Fall is a time for gathering in; nesting and preparing for winter. The temperature is crisp and chilly at the beginning and end of each day. The days become shorter and darkness is postponed by turning on the lights, or better yet, by burning candles.

To celebrate the seasonal changes, I created a simple centerpiece based on the concepts of an earth medicine altar. Incorporating representations of the four elements  – earth, sky,  fire, water – the centerpiece is a simple collection of natural and found items. A long irregular piece of leftover felt from a sewing project stretches along the length of the table. Aspen twigs, gathered from around my yard and tied with twine into a sort of effigy, serve as a frame to hold leaves, seeds, and feathers (air) picked up on a walk through the neighborhood. Some rocks (earth) that hold special memories are arranged at one end of the felt. Oil burning candles (fire) are placed at the other end. A few seashells (water) lay near the twigs.

I’d like to say we’ve enjoyed candlelit dinners for the past several nights, but sometimes the best intentions are forgotten in my family’s daily routine.

What treasures can you gather around your home and neighborhood to create a centerpiece altar to celebrate fall?

Giving life to a Spirit Doll…

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I first came across the art of spirit dolls as a child, using corn husks, bits of fabric, yarn, and beads to create a spirit of the fall harvest. Spirit Dolls can be elaborate works of art, imbued with intention and inspiration of the maker. They are made as expressions of Peace, Hope, Healing, Wisdom, Mother Earth, the Wild Woman, a Goddess, a particular ancestor, etc. Created intuitively using found materials, these Spirit Dolls can serve as messengers to us, from ourselves about a quality or virtue we would like to increase or explore.

I gathered aspen twigs from around my home, took a nature walk with my 5 year old to collect seeds, leaves and other interesting bits, and gathered other various materials from my craft bins. Most challenging for me was sculpting the face out of clay, inspired by the terra cotta faces made by artist Lyn Belisle. I wanted my spirit’s face to express a calm happiness, but I am not experienced with sculpting, so I struggled to get the expression and proportions to be ‘good enough.’ Although not perfect (as most of my making is beautifully flawed) my Golden Light Fire Spirit is a work of art. She reminds me to stay alert to the creative spirit and joy – that bright light – within myself.

A wall pocket for an air plant…

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Every air plant (Tillandsia) deserves a cozy felted wall pocket. This integral piece is wet felted by hand using a variety of natural brown to black alpaca roving from Flying Dutchman Alpacas here in Bend, OR. The pocket interior reveals a surprise of light cream felt, which blended with the dark roving during the felting process to make the pocket lighter than the background mat. A few of these wall pockets are available in my Etsy store.

A simple no-sew sachet necklace from t-shirt scraps…

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Ever thinking of new random projects, this sachet came about as a way to use a 4″ strip of fabric cut from the bottom of a t-shirt. First, the hem and seams were removed to create two long rectangles of fabric. These were then cut in half. By cutting thin strips along the sides and bottom of the rectangle and then tying them together with square knots, a small sachet was created. The remaining fabric was cut into strips, braided, and tied to the sachet with slip knots. Given the light weight and stretch of the t-shirt material, I filled my necklace sachet with tiny flowers and a sprig of rosemary.

 

Fashion a new shirt from remnants…

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 Upcycling clothing inevitably creates a pile of remnants. Most of the leftover scraps can be shredded and used as fiber fill in a pouf or even a stuffed animal. Sometimes I have larger pieces that seem to have a purpose that is yet undiscovered. The shirt above is an example of discovering a new purpose for remnants.

Making maxi dresses out of t-shirts requires cutting the body of a couple XL tees below the arms. This cropped top is not much by itself, but it becomes a cute slit-side top when lengthened by stitching sleeves onto the raw cut edge. The sleeves were leftover from making t-shirt yarn. I just cut off the sleeve seams, opened them into a single rectangle of fabric, and stitched the raw edges of the rectangle and the crop top together. Using my serger, I narrowed the XL sleeves for a fitted look, while keeping the body of the shirt more boxy.

This same shirt could be made with remnants from different colored shirts for a very patchy look. I prefer a minimal, modern look, so the pure white suits me just fine.

Allow the unexpected…

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You may have noticed that I am a big proponent of the unexpected; like the centaur who shoots an arrow afar just to follow it into the unknown. It is not that I lack vision when beginning a project. I always have a clear target. I just often miss the mark and have to shift my vision to accept the unexpected.

During my week in the woods of the Sierra Mountains, I found a beautiful, dark sienna rock with a small dimple near one end. It seemed the perfect size and weight for an experiment with weaving. Using hemp twine, I tied larks head knots around the girth of the rock, then knotted several rows of square knots. Never having done this before, I quickly realized that I had used too many larks head knots. So, what was meant to be a snug, knotted wrap for the rock, expanded with each row of square knots to become a pouch to carry the rock; an unexpected, yet satisfying outcome.

Being witness…

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Part of my creative process is being witness to everything around me. Being witness means looking and listening with care and attention, moving slowly, noticing as much as possible. Colors are more vivid; objects have more texture and detail; light and shadow are in strong contrast. Being witness always leads me to new creative ideas and inspiration.

While walking along a creek in the Sierra Mountains, I came across two perfect branch pieces – one became a walking stick and the other a talking stick. Aside from removing some remnants of bark, both sticks were left natural. I simply used hemp twine to create a wrapped handhold on each and added a pair of tassels as a minimal decoration.